These horses came closest to breaking Secretariat’s Kentucky Derby time record

In the 52 years since Secretariat ran the fastest Kentucky Derby, there have not been even many near misses to challenge Big Red’s record.

Only two horses since have come within a second of Secretariat’s 1:59.40 finish and none in the last 24 years. Of the other nine fastest times from horses who crossed the finish line first in the Derby, three came before Secretariat. Only one other winner (Monarchos, 2001) has broken the two-minute barrier in the race.

But is there a common denominator in the horses that have come closest to Secretariat’s record that could foreshadow the conditions needed for it to one day fall?

Unsurprisingly, each of the 10 fastest times for horses that crossed the finish line first came on fast-rated tracks. The larger Derby fields of the current era (the only Derby run with fewer than 18 horses since 2003 was the pandemic-delayed 2020 race) might make it more difficult for the record to be broken considering only one of the seven fastest Derby times was recorded in a field with more than 15 horses.

Most of the fastest Derby horses did come from off the early pace with just three of the 10 fastest leading wire to wire. The other seven horses in the group were sixth or worse at the half-mile mark. Secretariat was 9 1/2 lengths back at that point. Monarchos, the second-fastest Derby winner, was 16 lengths back then.

Six of the 10 horses were bred in Kentucky, but Secretariat was bred in Virginia, and the third-fastest Derby winner (Northern Dancer), whose previous record Secretariat broke, was bred in Canada. Five of the 10 horses were bay colored, but Secretariat was chestnut and Monarchos was gray. Only two of the 10 horses (Secretariat and Fusaichi Pegasus) were the betting favorite at post time, and even Secretariat was a co-favorite with Angel Light in the 1973 Derby.

Only one of the other nine fastest Derbys was won by a horse that went on to win the Preakness. Secretariat is the only winner of the 10 fastest Derbys to also win the Belmont Stakes. The next fastest Triple Crown winner in the Derby was Affirmed (2:01.20).

Here’s a closer look at what happened in each of the 10 fastest Derbys.

1. Secretariat (1973): 1:59.40

Racing from the No. 10 post as the co-favorite, Secretariat started in last place. A half-mile into the race, Secretariat had improved to sixth but was still 9 1/2 lengths behind the leader. Secretariat moved up the through the field on the outside, eventually passing leader Sham in the final furlong to win by 2 1/2 lengths.

2. Monarchos (2001): 1:59.97

The fastest Derby of the 21st century featured Monarchos starting slowly from the 16th post. He was ahead of just four horses at the first turn. He was 16th lengths behind the leader a half-mile into the race, which was the fastest first half-mile in the history of the race to that point. Monarchos moved to the outside at the final turn and began passing tired horses. He ended up winning by a convincing 4 3/4 lengths.

3. Northern Dancer (1964): 2:00.00

The first Canadian-bred to win the Derby, Northern Dancer took the lead in the final turn but had to hold off a hard-charging Hill Rise, the favorite in the race, to break the then Derby time record. Northern Dancer led Hill Rise by 2 lengths at one point in the straightaway, but won by just a neck. Northern Dancer was ridden by Bill Hartack and trained by Horatio Luro, the same jockey and trainer of the previous Derby record holder (Decidedly).

4. Spend a Buck (1985): 2:00.20

Unlike the three horses ahead of him on this list, Spend a Buck led throughout his blistering Kentucky Derby run. Spend a Buck completed the first mile in 1:34.80, still the fastest mile in Derby history. While most of the horses on this list fell short in their pursuit of the Triple Crown, Spend a Buck did not attempt the feat as his owners instead chose to enter him in the Jersey Derby, to which Garden State Park had attached a $2.6 million prize to garner attention for its race. In the Jersey Derby, Spend a Buck beat eventual Belmont Stakes winner Creme Fraiche by a neck to earn what would remain the largest purse in American horse racing history until 2004.

5. Decidedly (1962): 2:00.40

Decidedly broke Whirlaway’s Derby time record which had stood for 21 years by a full second with a strong close. He was 9½ lengths back a half-mile into the race but took the lead in the final eighth of a mile. Decidedly stretched that lead over second-place to 2 1/4 lengths at the wire.

6. Proud Clarion (1967): 2:00.60

There was no bigger surprise victory among the horses on this list than Proud Clarion, which paid $62.20 on a $2 win bet, still eighth most in Kentucky Derby history. Proud Clarion was in fifth place at the quarter pole, 3 1/2 lengths off the lead. He passed early pace setter Barbs Delight just past the eighth pole to take control of the race.

7. Authentic (2020): 2:00.61

Perhaps it should not come as a surprise that the 2020 Derby made this list since it was delayed until September due to the COVID-19 pandemic, meaning the horses were four months older than normal. Authentic led wire to wire, holding off heavy favorite Tiz the Law by 1 1/4 lengths. The race will be remembered as perhaps the most surreal in Kentucky Derby history as it was run with no fans in the stands due to pandemic safety measures while protesters congregated outside the track calling for racial justice after the death of Breonna Taylor.

8. Medina Spirit (2021): 2:01.02

You may have noticed this list was described as the horses who crossed the finish line in the fastest times, not the fastest winners. That distinction is because Medina Spirit ran the eighth fastest Kentucky Derby in 2021 in what appeared to be a wire-to-wire victory but was later disqualified due to a positive drug test. Medina Spirit went off at 12-1 odds. After Medina Spirit was disqualified, Mandaloun, who crossed the finish line one-half length behind Medina Spirit, was declared the winner.

9. Grindstone (1996): 2:01.06

Grindstone was 15th in a 19-horse field after the first half-mile. By the quarter pole, he had moved up to eighth place. Grindstone passed Cavonnier for the lead just before the wire, winning by a nose and marking the first time since 1961 the race had been won inside the one-sixteenth pole. The 1996 Derby was one of just 10 times in the race’s history the victory came by a nose.

10. Fusaichi Pegasus (2000): 2:01.02

Fusaichi Pegasus became the first betting favorite to win the Derby in 21 years with a near perfect run. After starting well off the pace, jockey Kent Desormeaux took Fusaichi Pegasus to the rail. He made the move to the outside at the final turn and passed five horses in the final quarter-mile to win by 1 1/2 lengths.

This story was originally published April 24, 2025 at 10:01 AM.